Oat milk has gained popularity as an alternative

TAMPA, Fla. (FOX 13) - Oats aren't just for eating. Now you can drink them, thanks to oat milk.

"It's really trending right now as an alternative milk and I think we're going to see a lot more of it because some of the nutrition composition of it is between a cow's milk product and a soy milk product," said Meghann Scholl a clinical nutrition specialist at Tampa General Hospital. "So, there is benefit for people to drink it."

And you don't have to buy it in the store.

"It's very easy to make at home. It's very quick to make at home and it's actually very inexpensive so it's a great option for anyone who wants to save some money," said Scholl. "It tastes really good. It's creamy. You can use it in your coffee. You can use it to bake with for any standard recipe that may use milk from pancakes to muffins."

Oat milk has some advantages to other plant-based alternatives.

Continue reading below

"It's also a relatively good source of protein as compared to some of the other milk alternatives things like almond milk and coconut milk have no protein," said Scholl.

But she said don't count regular milk out.

"Your cow's milk gives you a lot more nutrition -- bang for your buck -- when you’re talking about the amount of nutrients and the quality of those nutrients and the amount of calories that you're actually going to be receiving," she said.

Instructions1. Add oats and 4 cups water to a container with lid and soak for minimum 30 minutes or overnight.2. Drain and rinse oats several times then add to a blender with remaining 3-4 cups water and any additional add-ins (optional).3. Cover with lid. Blend on high for about 1 minute or until the mixture seems well combined. It doesn't have to be 100% pulverized. In fact, over-blending can make the oat milk slimy in texture.4. Place cheesecloth, fine mesh strainer, or a nut milk bag open in a large mixing bowl. Pour the oat milk puree into your straining tool and squeeze to drain all of the oat milk out and into the mixing bowl.5. Transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate. Will keep in the refrigerator up to 5 days (sometimes more). Shake well before serving and enjoy cold. DO NOT HEAT or it will thicken and become gelatinous in texture.

Nutrition per 8-ounce service(Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with no additional add-ins)